Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) vs University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
When it comes to higher education, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) stand out as two exceptional institutions with distinct offerings. RISD, a private art and design college, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 29%, while UNC, a public research university, offers a more accessible route with an acceptance rate of 24%. Both schools attract talented students, but their student bodies differ in terms of demographics: RISD's student body is predominantly female (63%), while UNC's is more evenly balanced (52% female, 48% male). While RISD excels in art and design programs, UNC offers a wider range of majors, including popular fields like business, biology, and psychology. With RISD's smaller student body (2,500 undergraduates) compared to UNC's larger population (19,000 undergraduates), students at each institution can expect
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![]() Rhode Island School of Design |
![]() University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
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Overview |
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Location | Providence, Rhode Island | Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
Campus setting | City: Midsize | City: Small |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Public |
Calendar system | 4-1-4 | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 95.0% | 97.0% |
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Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 18.7% | 20.4% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$60
Graduate:
$60
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Undergraduate:
$85
Graduate:
$95
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SAT range | 1310 - 1480 | 1140 - 1380 |
ACT range | 28 - 34 | 22 - 27 |
Students submitting SAT score | 31.0% | 2.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 7.0% | 12.0% |
Total number of applicants | 4,742 | 50,729 |
Total number of admissions given out | 886 | 10,348 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 496 | 4,690 |
Yield rate | 56.0% | 45.3% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $77,280 |
In state:
$24,770
Out of state:
$52,633
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Average net price | $38,234 | $11,508 |
Tuition | $55,220 |
In state:
$7,019
Out of state:
$34,882
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Room & board | $14,790 |
Room/dormitory:
$6,878
Meal plan:
$5,004
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
37.0%
Average amount $37,286 |
42.0%
Average amount $16,076 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
36.0%
Average amount $5,296 |
17.0%
Average amount $4,244 |
Students taking out private loans |
4.0%
Average amount $39,311 |
3.0%
Average amount $14,032 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
2,044
Men 33.5% Women 66.5% |
19,845
Men 39.6% Women 60.4% |
Graduate students |
532
Men 34.2% Women 65.8% |
11,796
Men 41.4% Women 58.6% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
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Low
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Out-of-state students | N/A | 16.2% |
International students | 35.6% | 6.8% |
Campus local/setting | City: Midsize | City: Small |
Dormitory capacity | 1,450 | 9,984 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | N/A | North Carolina Georgia Maryland New York Pennsylvania |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 9:1 | 15:1 |
Institutional accreditation | New England Commission on Higher Education | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 86.2% | 90.5% |
Dropout rate | 11.9% | 3.7% |
Transferred out | N/A | 5.4% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Design and Applied Arts (Master's Degrees)
Architecture (Master's Degrees)
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
Woodworking (Bachelor's Degrees)
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
Architecture (Bachelor's Degrees)
Interior Architecture (Master's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
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Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Law (First Professional Degrees)
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
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